Every Starting Background In Core Keeper, Ranked

Core Keeper has ten starting backgrounds, each with a unique skill allocation and equipment. You’re free to take whatever profession you like, but some are much better than others.

If you want to tackle the caves with your best foot forward, here’s every starting background in Core Keeper from worst to best.

10 Nomad

Decisively Normal, And That’s Okay

The Nomad kicks off our list as it’s the only background where you start with nothing. You have zero boosted skills, food items, or equipment.

It sounds bleak, but Core Keeper gives you enough wood around the starting area to fashion the basics.

Playing as the Nomad is fine as long as you know what you’re signing up for. The background is viable, but the lack of stats and gear places the Nomad at the bottom of the pile.

Core Keeper has been going from strength to strength since its 1.0 release, breaking some impressive player milestones. Backgrounds weren’t always a part of the game and aren’t essential if you don’t want the bonuses.

9 Miner

That Pickaxe Won’t Stay Sharp For Long

The Miner background sounds good on paper, but it’s one of the weaker professions in practice.

The Copper Pickaxe is a decent item, but sadly, it doesn’t last very long and will quickly break from use. You can craft Wooden Pickaxes without a workbench, and they are fine during the early game.

By the time you need a Copper Pickaxe specifically, you will already have a steady supply in your base.

Another issue with the Miner is the starting points, as you will quickly amass 3 Mining Skill points through regular gameplay.

We’re all mining experts in Core Keeper, so you can safely give this background a miss.

8 Fighter

A Solid Choice For A Brawler

Melee combat is pretty rough during the early game without decent armor to soften enemy attacks. The Fighter background slightly alleviates this, and the Copper Sword is perfect for slashing Slimes and lone Cavelings.

The issue with the background is Copper Swords are easy to make. Besides the Melee Skill Points, you could make a Copper Sword within 10 minutes of starting, which is the selling point of the class.

The Fighter isn’t a dreadful background, but it doesn’t bring anything special to the table either.

7 Mage

Effective In The Early Game

The Mage starts with a Simple Staff, which is superb as it can’t be crafted. Magic damage is decent, although mana management can be a problem early on.

If you’re interested in a magic build, the Mage is the perfect background, as there’s no telling when you will get a Staff otherwise.

I prefer bows for ranged damage, as they have infinite ammo without a meter to manage. That said, magic damage is absolutely viable, with plenty of items and equipment to buff your damage.

6 Warlock

Let Your Minions Do The Hard Work

Minions feel a little inconsistent later on but are decent during the early game with minimal investment. The Warlock starts with the Tome of the Dark, which summons bats to fight for you.

The Tome of the Dark can’t be crafted, so having it in your starting inventory is a real treat. You have plenty of options for a minion/pet-centric build in Core Keeper, and the Warlock background enables the playstyle from day one.

5 Explorer

The Only One Smart Enough To Bring A Flashlight

If you want to boost your early-game activities, you can’t go wrong with the Explorer background. The Explorer begins with one of the best starter items in the game.

The Small Lantern imbues your character with a dull glow, so you can see yourself even in pitch black.

Lanterns never run out and can’t usually be crafted until you have a Furnace, Ore, and Copper Workbench.

4 Fisherman

An Underrated Profession

Fishing is my go-to profession in any game that has it, and it’s superb in Core Keeper. The Tin Fishing Rod has unlimited durability, and you can create meals with powerful buffs by adding your finest catches to the Cooking Pot.

Fishing, in general, is extremely useful in Core Keeper, with applications you never thought of. For example, you can use the Green Blisterhead fish in any recipe to give you Acid Immunity.

You can use that buff to make one particular early boss ridiculously easy to beat, and it only scratches the surface of what you can make with fish.

3 Chef

Cooked Food Is King

Cooking is a big deal in Core Keeper, as you can earn powerful buffs and bonuses from hearty meals. The Chef is the perfect background to get a headstart on meal prep.

It’s viable solo, and your friends will love you for it in co-op. You can even set up a dedicated server if you can’t always get on together.

You can craft a Cooking Pot pretty early on, even without the Chef background. Regardless, you can put those 8 Mushrooms to good use and ensure you never have to explore on an empty stomach.

Core Keeper offers a ridiculous amount of food combinations, and the best recipes may just save your life.

2 Gardener

It Pays To Have Green Fingers

The Chef background is superb, but what good are cooking skills without a steady supply of ingredients?

The Gardener starts with all the necessary tools to start a garden immediately. On your travels, you will find Seeds all over the place and can quickly turn those into crops for your meals.

Many new players neglect food and farming in Core Keeper, but they are essential for beating bosses regardless of how deep into the game you are.

You can even use food to buff yourself against a certain boss from another popular title in the genre.

1 Ranger

Great For The First Boss And Beyond

The Ranger is a solid background with arguably the best starter weapon in the game. Ranged combat is advisable when you start, as you don’t have armor, and it really hurts when you get hit.

You can avoid all of those issues by engaging from afar, and you can’t usually get a Wood Bow until you have a supply of Copper Bars for a Copper Anvil.

The ranged playstyle is viable throughout the entire game, and you can get a head start on that path with the Ranger.